Critical Knowledge:

• The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo (GT) is an all-new model for 2010
• Replaces the 5 Series Touring (wagon)
• Unique styling foreshadows future 5 Series design
• Five-door hatchback body style with unique dual-action tailgate
• Nearly 60 cubic feet of available cargo space
• Choice of 6- or 8-cylinder turbocharged powerplants
• Standard 8-speed automatic transmission

Introduction
BMW's 5 Series is a midsize luxury performance car that has been in production since 1972. Slotted in between the compact BMW 3 Series and full-size BMW 7 Series in size, the 5 Series was significantly updated, including a mid-cycle facelift, in 2008. In 2009, it is offered as a sedan with a choice of efficient 6-cylinder engines or a powerful 8-cylinder powerplant, or a 6-cylinder station wagon known as the Touring.

For the 2010 model year, expected to be the last for the current-generation "E60" version of the sedan, BMW has replaced the Touring model with the all-new 5 Series Gran Turismo. The Gran Turismo differs from BMW's traditional Touring model by employing a hatchback body style and a rear dual-action liftgate. The liftgate's two opening sections offer the choice between opening a small trunk beneath the rear window, or opening the large tailgate (including the small trunk) as with BMW's SUV models. Although it is built on an all-new "F07" platform, the styling of the 5 Series Gran Turismo also offers insight into how the next-generation 5 Series sedan will look, inside and out, and how it will be powered when it arrives next year.

For More Information:

• See 2010 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Pictures
• Browse Other BMW Models
• Read More New Car Previews